Foot-ball.



.J. GAMBLE. FOOT BALL. "APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1910.

. Patented Mar. 7, 1911.

' or bladder is eliminated, the material of the s'r'r's ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN GAMBLE, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 GEORGE A. REACH,

. 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOOT-BALL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March M, 1910. Serial No. 549,073.

To all whom it may concern: I Be itknown that I, JOHN GAMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, 'have'invented new and useful Improvements in Foot-Balls, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to foot balls, and pertains more particularly to improvements in articles of said class by which the inner bladder and the outer case are combined.

The object of my invention is to provide a foot ball in which the separate inner case single case being saturated and coated on the inside with pure india-rubber gum, and the outside being likewise coated with such substance or a composition thereof to prevent puncture.

A further object of my invention is to provide a foot-ball of a single impervious air-tight case having the usual vent and lacing means employed. in outer cases of ordinary construction, said vent being covered with an inner patch of similar air-tight material suitably secured on the inner side of the case, and having an inflating tube adapted to be tucked in the pocket between said patch and the case, and laced therein in closing the vent; and a still further object thereof is to provide a more. simple, cheap and efficient article of said class than has heretofore been produced.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, in which like reference numerals indicate similar parts, Figure 1. is a perspective view of my football with the vent open, and Fig. 2 is asectional view of the same showing the vent closed, taken on line 11 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 indicates a foot ball of the usual oval form, hav

ing a longitudinal vent 2 intermediate of its ends adapted to be laced through the eyelets 3 by the cord 4; Said ball is made of a single case 5 of flexible fabric, the inner side of which is saturated and coated with a layer of india-rubber gum 6 to render it puncture in ordinary use.

4 through the eyelets 3 adjacent to the edge of the vent.

The construction and operation of my invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, and it will be appreciated that same may be varied within awide range from the specific exemplification thereof shown, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A foot ball comprising a single case of flexible air-tight material, having a vent therein adapted to be laced together, a patch, of air-tight material secured upon the 1nner side of said case adjacent to the edges of said vent and forming a free space or pocket between the edges of the case and patch, and aflexible tube attached to sald patch communicating with the interior of the case through same, adapted to be tucked in. said pocket after inflation of the ball.

2. A foot ball comprising a single case of flexible fabric, having a vent therein, said fabric being coated on its inner side with india-rubber gum to prevent'the escape of air, a patch of similar material secured upon the inner side ofsaid case to close said vent,-a flexible tube communicat ing with the interior of said case through said patch, and an outer coating of rubber upon said case, substantially as described;

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN GAMBLE.

Witneses: e

H. M. DITTIE, Roar. F; NIXON, Jr.

Patented Mar. '2, i911. 

